Chapter CXXXVIII.—Noah is a figure of
Christ, who has regenerated us by water, and faith, and wood: [i.e., the
cross.]

“You know, then, sirs,” I said,
“that God has said in Isaiah to Jerusalem: ‘I saved thee in
the deluge of Noah.’24792479Isa. liv. 9 comes nearer to these
words than any other passage; but still the exact quotation is not in
Isaiah, or in any other part of Scripture. [It is quite probable that
Isa. liv. 9 was thus misunderstood by the Jews, as
Trypho seems to acquiesce.] By this which God said was meant
that the mystery of saved men appeared in the deluge. For righteous Noah,
along with the other mortals at the deluge, i.e., with his own wife, his
three sons and their wives, being eight in number, were a symbol of the
eighth day, wherein Christ appeared when He rose from the dead, for ever
the first in power. For Christ, being the first-born of every creature,
became again the chief of another race regenerated by Himself through
water, and faith, and wood, containing the mystery of the cross; even as
Noah was saved by wood when he rode over the waters with his household.
Accordingly, when the prophet says, ‘I saved thee in the times of
Noah,’ as I have already remarked, he addresses the people who are
equally faithful to God, and possess the same signs. For when Moses had
the rod in his hands, he led your nation through the sea. And you believe
that this was spoken to your nation only, or to the land. But the whole
earth, as the Scripture says, was inundated, and the water rose in height
fifteen cubits above all the mountains: so that it is evident this was
not spoken to the land, but to the people who obeyed Him: for whom also
He had before prepared a resting-place in Jerusalem, as was previously
demonstrated by all the symbols of the deluge; I mean, that by water,
faith, and wood, those who are afore-prepared, and who repent of the sins
which they have committed, shall escape from the impending judgment of
God.

2479Isa. liv. 9 comes nearer to these
words than any other passage; but still the exact quotation is not in
Isaiah, or in any other part of Scripture. [It is quite probable that
Isa. liv. 9 was thus misunderstood by the Jews, as
Trypho seems to acquiesce.]